Quantum dot-enabled light emitting devices comprise excitation sources arranged to excite quantum dots which fluoresce to emit light. The quantum dots may fluoresce at a range of wavelengths to emit light having a broad spectrum.
The use of quantum dots in the photon down-conversion of light from LEDs is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,091 discloses an electronic device comprising a population of quantum dots embedded in a host matrix and a primary light source which causes the dots to emit secondary light of a selected color, and a method of making such a device. The size distribution of the quantum dots is chosen to allow light of a particular color to be emitted therefrom. The light emitted from the device may be of either a pure (monochromatic) color, or a mixed (polychromatic) color, and may consist solely of light emitted from the dots themselves, or of a mixture of light emitted from the dots and light emitted from the primary source. The dots desirably are composed of an undoped semiconductor such as CdSe, and may optionally be overcoated to increase photoluminescence. In some embodiments, there is provided a prepolymer colloid. In this aspect, a liquid or semisolid precursor material is provided with a population of quantum dots disposed therein. The colloid is capable of being reacted, for example by polymerization, to form a solid, transparent, nonconductive host matrix. The quantum dots may have been coated with a material having an affinity for the precursor material. The precursor material may be a monomer, which can be reacted to form a polymer.
However, the process of fabricating a quantum dot-enabled light source has not fully matured, and there is currently an opportunity to identify and provide improvements to such processes, which would provide for more economic and effective production of these light sources.
Therefore there is a need for techniques for fabricating solid-state light emitters which include quantum dot technology, and to solid-state light emitters fabricated by such techniques, that are not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present technology. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present technology.